I killed my Linux (NVIDIA driver related)

[ink_echo]

System: Mandrake9.1/XP Home
Drivers: 1.0-4496

I was trying to get Tuxracer working by running it through Konsole and it kept saying an error about permissions and to see the NVIDIA README.

So I did and followed the instructions inthe FAQ section. I followed the parts in bold text:

NVIDIA Driver README extract:

Q: OpenGL applications exit with the following error message:

Error: Could not open /dev/nvidiactl because the permissions
are too restrictive. Please see the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
section of /usr/share/doc/NVIDIA_GLX-1.0/README for steps
to correct.

A: It is likely that a security module for the PAM system may be changing the permissions on the NVIDIA device files. In most cases this security system works, but it can get confused. To correct this problem it is recommended that you disable this security feature. Different Linux distributions have different files to control this; please consult with your distributor for the correct method of disabling this security feature. As an example, if your system has the file /etc/security/console.perms then you should edit the file and remove the line that starts with "<dri>" (we have also received reports that additional references to <dri> in console.perms must be removed, but this has not been verified by NVIDIA). If instead your system has the file /etc/logindevperms then you should edit the file and remove the line that lists /dev/nvidiactl. The above steps will prevent the PAM security system from modifying the permissions on the NVIDIA device files. Next, you will need to reset the permissions on the device files back to their original permissions and owner. You can do that with the
following commands:
chmod 0666 /dev/nvidia* chown root /dev/nvidia*

Now when I try to boot into linux it says unknown class "dri" in etc/security/console.perms and it stops boot-up, giving me a prompt to repair filesystem.

I deleted the drivers on the Mandrake partition (I know .. stupid) and I can only use the net through Windows. I've got a Knoppix CD and the Mandrake 9.1 CDs if that helps.

What should I do?

[Germ]

I don't use Nvidia, but I'll give this a shot.

Boot your machine and when you get to the boot loader screen. Instead of chooseing "linux", hit your Esc key. You will now get a boot prompt. At the boot prompt type linux 3, hit enter.

Login as root. Now type XFdrake and hit Enter. in XFdrake, you can re-configure your video card using the driver that shipped with MDK. After you configure, type startx and hit Enter. Then you can have another go with Nvidia's drivers, if you need to work in the GUI.

hope this helps.

[jkrohn]

Not gonna work Germ, he can't boot. Get ahold of your mandrake CD's and boot to rescue mode. Edit the /etc/security/console.perms and make sure there is no mention of dri in there!

(Back it up first)

What it sounds like is that you deleted the definition for DRI but not where it is referenced. Careful that you don't have a line like this in there somewhere.

<xconsole> 0600 <dri> 0600 root

Jkrohn

[Germ]

Ok, I see. I should read instead of skim. So, it won't continue booting if you say no to fs repair? I think MDK 9.1 defaults to ext3 at install, so wouldn't the journal recover the fs?

[jkrohn]

First of all, boot into recovery mode using the Mandake 9.1 CD's and edit that file. Make sure there are no mentions of DRI in there.

Once you have done that, try to boot up again. If you still get that error, we can continue from that point. No use in troubleshooting it if you don't continue to get that error though.

Jkrohn

[ink_echo]

I booted into rescue mode using the 1st CD. I then went to console. The problem with that method is that I can't access console.perms (It's not there). I think that access method is restricted because I can't even look at man pages.

I then tried booting into Linux again. The prompt came up asking if I want to repair the filesystem. I said no as it says data may be lost.

I then logged in as root for maintenance when prompted and was dropped to a prompt.

I can access console.perms through here, but I don't think I can save changes. (It says something about .emacs-places being write protected)

I was able to see the contents of console.perms though. There was only one entry left with dri:

<xconsole> 0600 <dri> 0600 root

0600 means read-only right?

Seeing as how I can't save changes I make to console.perms, what am I supposed to do?

I downloaded the driver file again to see if I could just install it again (I have since uninstalled the driver), but it's on my Windows partition, which I cannot access through the console prompt either.

[jkrohn]

You are getting ahead of yourself. When you boot to the recovery prompt / is not the root of your linux partition.

I am unsure if it will auto mount it, or you may have to manually mount it. Look under /mnt and see if it is mounted. (If it is mounted on /mnt/hda you will need to go to /mnt/hda/etc/security/console.perms)

If you don't want to do this throw the knoppix cd, mount the mandrake partition, and edit it from there.

Jkrohn

[ink_echo]

Please forgive my ignorance and thanks for your patience so far.

I tried the knoppix method but console.perms is read-only. I'm pretty sure that it's the right file though as <xconsole> 0600 <dri> 0600 root is the only mention of "dri" in it.

I'm unsure if that is the Mandrake drive though:

hda5 has the "bin", "etc" directories and that is where I accessed the console.perms file

hda7 has all my Mandrake files though; documents and such.

Am I on the right path?

[jkrohn]

hda5 is what you will want. You will need to mount the drive writeable.

Boot to recovery mode. Become root or su
Type the following commands.

mkdir /mnt/temp
mount /dev/hda5 /mnt/temp
cd /mnt/temp/etc/security/
Now you should be able to access console.perms and remove the DRI line.

Jkrohn

[ink_echo]

Okay, I'll have to try that later. Will emacs allow me to write to the file this time?